Controlled Substances News

December 24, 2024

Top Headlines

Perceptions of Parent Cannabis Use Shape Teen Attitudes

Dec. 4, 2024 — Teens who think their parents use cannabis are more likely to hold favorable attitudes toward the drug and to consider trying it themselves, according to a new study. The research also reveals that parental monitoring and the closeness of ...

Exposure to Marijuana in the Womb May Increase Risk of Addiction to Opioids Later in Life, Study Finds

Nov. 14, 2024 — Evidence has been growing to suggest that tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, poses risks to the developing fetus by impacting brain development. Now a new ...

'Sleepy Cannabis': Cannabinol Increases Sleep, Study Suggests

Nov. 11, 2024 — Research shows that a non-hallucinogenic marijuana constituent increases both REM and non-REM sleep in rats. Human trials are now under ...

The Dangerous Pursuit of Muscularity in Men and Adolescent Boys

Oct. 30, 2024 — Men and adolescent boys are increasingly at risk of resorting to the dangerous use of anabolic steroids in a bid to achieve the desired muscular build modeled on social media, warn body image experts. A new review that focused specifically on men ...

Latest Headlines

updated 7:54pm EST

Reducing Risk of Opioid Addiction While Alleviating Pain

Dec. 2, 2024 — Increasing the levels of chemicals naturally produced in the body called endocannabinoids may thwart the highly addictive nature of opioids such as morphine and oxycodone while maintaining the drugs' ...

Cannabis Use During Pregnancy Can Impact Thinking and Learning Skills, Increase Aggression Among Children, Study Shows

Oct. 28, 2024 — As cannabis is legalized and is more accessible in various forms across the country, there is increasing concern among health care providers about ...

Cannabis Use in Adolescence: Visible Effects on Brain Structure

Oct. 23, 2024 — A collaborative study sheds light on how cannabis use affects brain development in young people, the main one being atrophy of certain regions of the cerebral ...

High Potency Cannabis Use Leaves Unique Signature on DNA, Study Shows

Oct. 16, 2024 — A new study suggests that the use of high potency cannabis leaves a distinct mark on DNA, providing valuable insights into the biological impact of cannabis ...

Clinical Trial Shows Synthetic Cannabis Reduces Agitation in Alzheimer's Disease

Oct. 2, 2024 — Researchers show that a pill form of the drug dronabinol, an FDA-approved synthetic version of marijuana's main ingredient, THC, reduces agitation in ...

Chronic Pain Patients Are More Supportive of Cannabis Access Than Doctors

Oct. 2, 2024 — A study reveals a gap between patient and physician attitudes on medical marijuana ...

Cognitive Deficits from Meth and PCP Use Are Generated by a Common Neurotransmitter Switch

Sep. 26, 2024 — The effects of sustained drug abuse can manifest in many ways. Loss of memory and reduced cognitive functions are some of the effects that can ...

Compound in Rosemary Extract Can Reduce Cocaine Sensitivity

Aug. 20, 2024 — A team of researchers has discovered that an antioxidant found in rosemary extract can reduce volitional intakes of cocaine by moderating the brain's reward response, offering a new therapeutic ...

Cannabis Use Tied to Head and Neck Cancer

Aug. 8, 2024 — A new study suggests that cannabis, the most commonly used illicit substance worldwide, is associated with an increased occurrence of head and neck ...

Less Sleep and Later Bedtime in Childhood Linked to Future Substance Use

Aug. 13, 2024 — Adolescents were more likely to have consumed alcohol or tried marijuana by age 15 if they had later bedtimes and slept fewer hours during the night during childhood and adolescence, according to a ...

Nearly 6 Percent of Pregnant Women Report Marijuana Use, U.S. Study Finds

Oct. 30, 2024 — A new study, using responses from the U.S. National Survey on Drug Use and Health, has found that about 6 percent of pregnant women reported using marijuana during the last month, and many did not ...

Researchers Show Why Cannabis Policies Should Shift to a Harm Reduction, Health Promotion Approach to Safeguard Public Health

Oct. 23, 2024 — A new paper explains why there needs to be a shift in cannabis policies to a public health approach as opposed to the prevailing, more punitive approach that pushes abstinence instead of public ...

A 37% Drop in Overdose Deaths from Drugs Mixed With Opioids -- Fentanyl Included

Oct. 21, 2024 — Expanded treatment options, increased naloxone distribution and targeted education campaigns likely led to a 37% reduction in overdose deaths from opioids combined with stimulant drugs other than ...

Methamphetamine-Involved Psychiatric Hospitalizations Have Increased, Study Says

Aug. 16, 2024 — A new study that details trends among psychiatric hospitalizations between 2015-2019 finds that while most hospitalizations did not involve any substances, methamphetamine-related hospitalizations ...

Cocaine Discovery Could Pave Way for Treatment for Substance Abuse

Aug. 7, 2024 — Cocaine binds to a specific transporter in the brain that is responsible for regulating dopamine levels. Researchers have studied and described the process, producing new knowledge that may bring us ...

Cannabinoid CBG Reduces Anxiety and Stress in First Human Clinical Trial

July 31, 2024 — A lesser-known cannabinoid that is gaining in popularity Cannabigerol (CBG) effectively reduced anxiety in a clinical trial without the intoxication typically associated with whole plant cannabis. It ...

Last Decade Saw Big Decrease in Teens Who Used Commonly Prescribed and Misused Prescription Drugs

July 25, 2024 — Since 2009, U.S. high school seniors have reported steep declines in medical use, misuse and availability of the three most commonly prescribed and misused controlled substances for teens, a new ...

Cannabis Use Among Adults With Diabetes Is on the Rise, Study Finds

July 22, 2024 — Researchers have found a significant increase in cannabis use among adults with diabetes in the United States, raising concerns about the potential impact on their health ...

Researchers Find Biological Clues to Mental Health Impacts of Prenatal Cannabis Exposure

July 5, 2024 — Researchers outline some of the intermediate biological steps that could play into how prenatal cannabis exposure leads to behavioral issues down the ...

Cannabis Use Tied to Increased Risk of Severe COVID-19

June 21, 2024 — A new study shows that people with COVID-19 who used cannabis were more likely to be hospitalized and require intensive care than those who did not use the ...

Clinical Trial Shows Promising Results in a Two-Drug Combination That Curbs Methamphetamine Use

June 10, 2024 — A clinical trial on a two-drug therapy for methamphetamine use disorder reduced use of the highly addictive drug for up to 12 weeks after initiation of treatment. Participants in the ADAPT-2 clinical ...

Cannabis Use Common Among Patients, With Most Using It to Manage a Symptom or Health Condition

June 5, 2024 — Nearly one in six patients in primary care reported cannabis use, with 35% of those using at levels indicating moderate- to high-risk use disorder. The findings indicate the need for routine cannabis ...

Tiny Worm Helps Uncover Long-Lasting Prenatal Effects from Amphetamines

May 30, 2024 — During pregnancy, the effects of therapeutical doses of amphetamine have been investigated on birth outcomes in humans. However, a thorough investigation of the mechanisms underlying the long-term ...

New Study Highlights Significant Increases in Cannabis Use in United States

May 23, 2024 — A new study assessed cannabis use in the United States between 1979 and 2022, finding that a growing share of cannabis consumers report daily or near-daily use and that their numbers now exceed those ...

THC Lingers in Breastmilk With No Clear Peak Point

May 8, 2024 — When breastfeeding mothers in a recent study used cannabis, its psychoactive component THC showed up in the milk they produced. The research also found that, unlike alcohol, when THC was detected in ...

New Study Finds Increase in Exposures to Synthetic Tetrahydrocannabinols Among Young Children, Teens, and Adults

May 7, 2024 — A sharp rise in exposures to synthetic cannabis products among youth -- some leading to hospitalization -- highlights the need for increased education around the dangers of exposure and increased ...

Follow-Up 50 Years on Finds Landmark Steroid Study Remains Safe

Apr. 23, 2024 — A follow-up analysis 50 years later finds no adverse heart health risk from Professor Mont Liggins' landmark steroid study to reduce illness and death for pre-term ...

A Common Pathway in the Brain That Enables Addictive Drugs to Hijack Natural Reward Processing

Apr. 18, 2024 — Researchers have uncovered a mechanism in the brain that allows cocaine and morphine to take over natural reward processing ...

Crackdown on Illicit Drugs Detects Rise in 'Designer' Drug Substitutes

Mar. 25, 2024 — As authorities crack down on illicit drugs, experts have issued an alert on the use of the synthetic stimulant pentylone, as new research finds a 75% increase in detections across ...

Steroid Drugs Used for HRT Can Combat E. Coli and MRSA

Mar. 13, 2024 — Researchers have combined computational and microbiology laboratory approaches to identify existing drugs that can be repurposed to combat antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. This research has ...